1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to non-impact printer/plotters utilized for automatically printing/plotting alphanumeric, graphic and half-tone images on receiving media. More specifically, the invention pertains to laser printers/plotters having storage and editing facilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Non-impact radiant energy printers have been known in the prior art as illustrated by the laser printer of Kaufman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,991 and character recorder of Sacerdoti U.S. Pat. No. 3,573,847. These patents disclose the use of modulated laser beams to effectuate a printing on paper responsive to the particular radiation utilized. Various other patents disclose laser printing methods such as Kamenstein U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,380, Brown et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,779 and Fishback U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,203. Further these prior art techniques either utilize costly or complicated laser scanning techniques to produce a given printed character or they require special thermographic paper responsive to the laser heat to effectuate a transfer of print material. Additionly, the universality of the prior art techniques is restricted in that no graphic or half-tone images may be produced.